Ajay0

Hi All, Quoted above are a list of teachings of various masters which I compiled myself for a better understanding and contemplation of the message of proactivity and reactivity around a decade back. Through study and analysis of the master's teachings, I had come to the understanding that it is proactive action which is what is known as virtue or correct action while reactive action is what is known as sin or bad karma. While proactivity is what stems from a state of awareness or mindfulness , reactivity on the other hand stems from the ego. Living in the present moment reveals awareness, while living in the past or future unconsciously due to strong desires or craving/aversions (resulting in incessant, involuntary thinking or emoting) is what generates the ego. The state of awareness generates peace and joy, while the unnatural state of the ego generates pain and sorrow. This is why the Buddha had said thus ," Mindfulness is the true virtue." And why Eckhart Tolle had stated thus. " Evil is an extreme manifestation of human unconsciousness." Writing this in my notebook and constant study and contemplation of these teachings from time to time helped me to become a more self-aware, proactive and less reactive person. This understanding brought a deep sense of calmness, peace, contentment and well-being in my life. The study of the works of spiritual masters helped me a lot in increasing my self-knowledge and hope the reading of the above mentioned teachings will do the same for you or help in bringing perspective on the nature of the mind. I have deep gratitude to the Buddha, Bodhidharma, Padmasambhava,Suzuki, Dilgo Khyentse , Metta Zetty and other Buddhist masters all over the world for their insights and wisdom, which helped me a lot in increasing my self-knowledge and hope the reading of the above mentioned teachings will do the same for you or help in bringing perspective on the nature of the mind.

Hello all, Here is an insightful article on female enlightened master Rajini Menon attaining enlightenment just through adhering to virtuous conduct and behavior. https://www.lifepositive.com/a-light-unto-herself/ If you do right, irrespective of what the other does, it will slow down the mind. - Rajini Menon Wholesome virtuous behavior progressively leads to the foremost.~ Buddha AN 10.1 Swami Satchidananda also states in this regard.... “When even one virtue becomes our nature, the mind becomes clean and tranquil. Then there is no need to practice meditation; we will automatically be meditating always.” - Swami Satchidananda I would say this showcases the importance of virtues and virtuous conduct as taught in the world religions and secular humanism, and shows that they are not limited to mere conditioning or are abstract contrivances as nihilism and existentialism believes them to be. Sound adherence to morals and ethical conduct can even enable an agnostic or non-theist to attain enlightenment, without religions or spiritual masters, as is the case with Rajini Menon.

An insightful article by Sister Jayanti Kirpalani, an administrative leader of the Prajapita Brahmakumaris, on cultivating values in everyday life... https://svbrahmakumaris.org/1859/ The main points of the article can be summarized in sequential order as... Morning meditation and contemplation of values . Pausing and focusing at periodic intervals during the day to re-orient oneself in terms of these values. Performing an audit and self-review at night to identify any shortcomings in actions on the basis of these values. Based on self-analysis, learning and correcting oneself if needed. Self-motivating oneself in terms of commitment and enthusiasm to the given values for the next day.

It is celebrated for 9-10 days in some parts of south India, but generally it is celebrated on the festival day itself. Navratri is celebrated generally for the nine/ten days mentioned. And for the last question, Thiruvathira is celebrated in worship of God Shiva. The enlightenment of any sage is not generally mentioned during this festival, though I am aware of coinicidences of religious festivals coinciding with the birthdays or enlightenment of sages.

The ancient Thiruvathira festival in south India which celebrates the cosmic dance of Shiva as a golden red-flamed light, was celebrated this month on December 20. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thiruvathira The cosmic dance of Lord Shiva represents five activities – Creation, Protection, Destruction, Embodiment and Release. In essence, it represents the continuous cycle of creation and destruction. This cosmic dance is said to take place in every particle and is considered to be the source of all energy. Interestingly, the monotheistic Dharmic sect the Prajapita Brahmakumaris consider God Shiva to be an incorporeal point of golden-red light, synonymous with Jehovah, Allah and Ahura Mazda of the other monotheistic religions where there are similar connotations and associations with light.

Wholesome virtuous behavior progressively leads to the foremost.~ Buddha AN 10.1 Here, the Buddha himself had also stated that virtuous action progressively leads to the foremost, that is enlightenment. This teaching is exemplified by Rajini Menon, who had no Gurus or spiritual masters, and only had adherence to her inner conscience as a moral guide for thought, speech and action. Yes, the Buddha had also advocated a variety of methods like mindfulness practice, vipassana , meditation for people who are inclined to such practices . But that does not take anything from his saying that virtuous behavior is potent enough to lead to the foremost, which is nirvana or enlightenment. I am also interested in the spiritual and social implication of this teaching as it would mean that atheists and agnostics and those of the LGBTQ spectrum, who adhere to values and virtuous conduct, are not spiritually degenerate as some theists put them to be.

Here is an insightful conversation between the female enlightened sage Anandamayi Ma and a disciple... Question: Suppose an atheist lives an ethical and righteous life. Is he on a lower level than a faithful devotee? Ma Anandamayi : 'An ethical life purifies the mind. Even though one may have no faith in God, if one believes in some Superior Power or pursues a high ideal, this also will serve one's purpose. By living an ethical life, one progresses towards the realization of the Divine. ' ( Excerpt from the book 'That Compassionate Touch of Ma Anandamayee' by Narayan Chaudhari ) Through this statement, Ma Anandamayi too, like Rajini Menon, states that an ethical and virtuous life, is a spiritual exercise in itself and is potent enough to bring about enlightenment on its own.

Yeah, I like Jesus's teachings as well and find them to be a useful mine of wisdom shedding light on dark areas of ignorance, and have quoted them in some of my posts. The Golden Rule taught by Jesus is also a good framework to determine virtuous conduct in almost all situations and circumstances. Imho, Christianity as an institution for morality and virtuous conduct was undermined by some of its leaders who were not able to separate religion from the state administration and politics leading to conflicts and wars which was against the core essence of Christ's teachings.This was true of most other religions as well. There was a failure of religious leadership in general in ensuring correct regulation of religious teachings for application so that it would have been a support to the dynamic nature of spiritual, social and material development rather than being an impediment to it. A glaring example of this at present is the Taliban and Isis. I would say this can perhaps be traced to the vices of love of power, egoism and lack of critical thinking in erroneously emphasizing the letter of the law at the expense of the spirit. Secular humanism is also a great institution for determining moral behavior and virtuous conduct as well, and there is an emphasis on the golden rule in it as well. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Rule

I deeply respect your sentiments as a christian but I think you have misunderstood the thread's theme. It is mainly about virtuous conduct and behavior being spiritually meritorious and capable of attaining enlightenment or Buddhahood on its own, and not being just mere abstract contrivances as nihilism and existentialism considers them to be. The nihilist thought process is considered to have influenced ideologies like nazism, fascism (which brought about the second world war and holocausts) and communism as well, and given rise to unchecked scientific materialism and reductionism at present which reduces the human being to a mere material phenomenon among others to be described, studied and even utilized by vested interests as a commodity to be milked unscrupulously. Even in democratic governments this foolish and counterproductive line of reasoning runs deep and science is clandestinely utilized as a tool to create an efficient and obedient citizen out of a human being without any consideration for his spiritual needs or sensitivity, and to be a mere cog in the machinery or an another brick in the wall.

Wholesome virtuous behavior progressively leads to the foremost. - Buddha AN 10.1 Western philosophy and psychology, which is of more recent origin, has not yet touched upon the phenomenon of enlightenment or Buddhahood , and this is why nihilism and other lopsided philosophies like existentialism were prominent in the west leading to an erroneous thought process and corresponding actions, considering all moral values to be abstractly contrived. The famous Austrian psychiatrist, philosopher and holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl stated thus on the influence of the nihilist and materialistic philosophies that influenced the thought process of the architects of the second world war... “If we present a man with a concept of man which is not true, we may well corrupt him. When we present man as an automaton of reflexes, as a mind-machine, as a bundle of instincts, as a pawn of drives and reactions, as a mere product of instinct, heredity and environment, we feed the nihilism to which modern man is, in any case, prone. I became acquainted with the last stage of that corruption in my second concentration camp, Auschwitz. The gas chambers of Auschwitz were the ultimate consequence of the theory that man is nothing but the product of heredity and environment; or as the Nazi liked to say, ‘of Blood and Soil.’ I am absolutely convinced that the gas chambers of Auschwitz, Treblinka, and Maidanek were ultimately prepared not in some Ministry or other in Berlin, but rather at the desks and lecture halls of nihilistic scientists and philosophers.” - Viktor Frankl In eastern philosophy on the other hand, moral values and virtues are considered to be valuable in expansion of consciousness (and destruction of karma) alongside meditation, awareness or total love and instrumental in attainment of enlightenment or Buddhahood, as shown by the example of the female enlightened master Rajini Menon. Western philosophy and psychology will be all the more richer through study of eastern philosophy and this can help negate much of the issues caused by wrong philosophical interpretations as stated by Viktor Frankl, that can potentially lead to conflicts and vice. For example buddhist mindfulness and vipassana are now acknowledged by psychiatrists in the west of having therapeutic applications and complementing therapy. https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/mindfulness https://uk.dhamma.org/more/prison-courses/ Similarly Indian mathematics and numeral system, which originated in the philosophical conceptions of Sankyha philosophy by sage Kapila and Shunyata philosophy of Buddha, came to the west through the Arabs, replaced the cumbersome roman numerals and revolutionized modern science, technology and accounting to what it is at present. Hence considering the rich and profitable interaction of the past, western philosophers should not hesitate to investigate and study eastern philosophy to enrich their understanding and wisdom and consequently avoid grave errors in decision-making.

Consciousness minus conceptualization is the eternal Brahman the absolute; consciousness plus conceptualization is thought. ~ Yoga Vasistha Thinking and consciousness are not synonymous. Thinking is only a small aspect of consciousness. Thought cannot exist without consciousness, but consciousness does not need thought. ~ Eckhart Tolle The thought process is an intermittent activity – Consciousness is always On. ~ Sadhguru

The ego manifests as negativity, emotivity, compulsiveness and reactivity and these are often toxic to relationships. Present moment awareness or mindfulness/witnessing can help create a space between yourself and your mind/ego, and can prevent one from slipping to the reactive mode. Practicing patience by holding back in volatile situations can also help. You can count to ten to defuse the volatility within to calm centredness again. 'When you are in a great hurry to do something, just hold back a few seconds, that's all it takes to shift from compulsiveness to consciousness.' ~ Sadhguru

Hi all, I have come across some observations which depict an interesting correlation between God and light in the major world religions.... In Hinduism, the Vedas and Hindu scriptures considers the Shivalingam as representing a cosmic pillar of light. The Dharmic monotheistic sect the Prajapita Brahmakumaris consider God to be an incorporeal point of light. The Upanishads and enlightened masters have also described Spirit or Brahman to be self-luminous. Teachings of the Dharmic religion Sikhism also reveal God to be self-luminous. (Amongst all is the Light-You are that Light. (13-5, DnwsrI, m 1 ) ) Similarly, the Abrahamic religions also associate God with light. In Islam, Allah has 100 name's, and one of them is Alnoor ( the Light). “God is light,” says 1 John 1:5, in the Bible in Christianity. In Judaism, Psalm 76:4 says of God, “You are radiant with light.” In the Bahai religion, it is stated thus, "This is the Day whereon naught can be seen except the splendors of the Light that shineth from the face of Thy Lord, the Gracious, the Most Bountiful."(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 29) So this correlation between God and light, is a common denominator in these Dharmic and Abrahamic major world religions. Imo, the fire worship in Zoroastrianism may be illustrating this correlation between God (Ahura Mazda ) and light as well, light being emitted by the fire. I would say this may provide more proof that the major world religions are identical in their core, with only superficial differences on the outside creating cause for extremism and conflict. If you find any further proofs or evidences in this regard, please do share it here. Thanking in advance.

I thank you deeply for your kind and sweet words, Manitou. I hope this article has been of utility to you and will be a source of strength and peace for you. As a teenager and youth, I had pondered on the nihilist/existentialist viewpoint on whether all values and virtues are just abstractions and whether there is any meaning to life after all. There was a lot of despair and anguish in this regard as I felt that life was perhaps meaningless. Thankfully, eastern philosophy was able to clarify the issue in this regard, that adherence to virtues and values correlate to higher states of consciousness leading to blissful enlightenment . Rajini Menon embodied this philosophy through her enlightenment, and this insight gave great relief to me. I wish I had come across this insight as a teenager-youth, but it is better late than never. I am aware that many others may be suffering from such intellectual or philosophical issues, and hopefully these teachings can put such confusions and issues to rest. May all beings be free from suffering. Metta and Namaste.

This is my take on this experience. Meditation, after a period of time , can be very relaxing, and the body which has been voluntarily tense for a very long time, deeply relaxes like a deflated balloon. This can result in the sort of bodily sensations which you mentioned, which are also associated with relaxation. Or, it can also be associated with the Kundalini surge of prana in the body beginning from the Muladhara chakra which is located at the base of the spine.

When the robot mind is mastered, undisciplined thinking ceases and is replaced by awareness. Awareness can know love. You can only experience the new when you are aware, when you are without thought. ~ Barry Long When the heart is empty of the things of the mind, and the mind is empty of thought, then is there Love. That which is empty is inexhaustible. ~Jiddu Krishnamurti The consciousness in you and the consciousness in me, apparently two, really one, seek unity and that is love. ~ Nisargadatta Maharaj "The person who follows the path of awareness finds love as a consequence of his awareness, as a by-product, as a shadow. And the person who follows the path of love finds awareness as a consequence, as a by-product, as a shadow of love. They are two sides of the same coin. ~ Osho

You can sit on a chair or sofa and meditate as well, making sure you keep your spine erect. It is not mandatory that you need to sit in padmasana or the lotus position. This can enable you to meditate for a longer period of time without discomfort. I have seen people sitting in chairs and meditating in meditation centers I have visited. In early morning meditation, I sit on a chair or sofa and meditate for one or two hours. I love meditating on the beach due to the high prana levels, which makes meditation easier. And I usually meditate then on the lotus position or padmasana. At times I take a break by lying on my back on the sand. After sitting meditation for some time, I then walk around in a meditative state or mindfully and this also works very well for me. In a meditative thoughtless state it is much easier to enjoy the beach's beauty and the sunrise or sunset. It greatly freshens and energises me up . I have noticed that if I am thinking compulsively under the influence of some emotion, I totally miss the beauty around me in the beach, and feel stale and regretful later on while going back home.

The pollution of the planet is only an outward reflection of an inner psychic pollution: millions of unconscious individuals not taking responsibility for their inner space. ~ Eckhart Tolle I don’t want to tell anyone how much water they should use or shouldn’t use. But whatever you do – make it as conscious as possible. If you become conscious, you will only use as much as you need to. This will make a world of difference. Right now, we are behaving as if we’re the last generation on the planet. ~ Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev When you live consciously, your response to situation that arise will be agile and appropriate. ~ Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev

An insightful artice by Anthony Strano of the Prajapita Brahmakumaris on the the cyclical nature of time as emphasized by the ancient Greek, Roman and Indian philosophies. Anthony Strano was the Director of the Prajapita Brahmakumaris in Greece, and studied religion and philosophy at the University of Sydney. https://aboutbrahmakumaris.org/time-and-transformation/ One of the core teachings of the Prajapita Brahmakumaris is the reality of eternal recurrence. What has happened will continue to happen an infinite number of times, due to the cyclical nature of time. This is also echoed in the ancient Indian, Roman, Greek, Egyptian, Hebrew (Ecclesiastes),Mayan and Aztec philosophies as well. The nineteenth century philosophy Friedrich Nietzche also held this concept of "eternal recurrence" central in his writings. Hindu philosophy states that there are four yugas or ages in nature charecterising human civilization . They are the Satya Yuga (Golden Age), Treta Yuga (silver age), Dwapara Yuga (Bronze Age) and Kali Yuga (Iron Age). The Roman Ovid (43 BC – 17/18AD), in his poem “Metamorphoses”, wrote of the four ages of human civilization. Similarly the Greek writer Hesiod in his 800 line epic poem called 'Works and Days', tells about the five ages of man(Golden,Silver, Bronze, Heroic and Iron Age). In Europe, the concept fell into disuse until it reemerged with the Italian Renaissance which rediscovered ancient Roman and Greek thought and was further invigorated by Nietzche's own writings based on it.

Thought alone, when it is no longer connected with the much vaster realm of consciousness, quickly becomes barren, insane, destructive. ~ Eckhart Tolle When scientific or rational thinking is grounded in presence it has a completely different outcome. It can never be monstrous. ~ Jean Klein

Here are some links containing vegetarian recipes of the Prajapita Brahmakumaris with respect to sweets, soups, cakes, curries, pancakes, biscuits, pasta, pizza, puddings and so on... https://www.brahmakumaris.org/discovery/the-mindful-kitchen/recipes https://brahmakumaris.org.au/category/vegetarian-recipes/ https://svbrahmakumaris.org/tag/brahma-kumaris-recipes/ The Prajapita Brahmakumaris associate a vegetarian diet with maintaining inner tranquility and calmness, and considers vegetarianism to uphold the ideal of nonviolence. Vegetarianism is also proven to confer numerous benefits on the physical and ecological level. https://svbrahmakumaris.org/vegetarian-diet/

An excerpt from the book 'How to think' by Sister Pari of the Prajapita Brahmakumaris on the necessity of thought management for proper life management... A problem is solved by making an indepth study, understanding its root causes and managing it intelligently. Here we find the Prajapita Brahmakumaris stating that the habits and characters we develop have their root cause in the thoughts we allow ourselves to think. Rather than allowing our compulsive thoughts and emotions to propel us to compulsive behavior and activities, by being aware of our thoughts in the first place, we can put a rein on our turbulent thoughts and emotions and restrain them from carrying us to activities which are wasteful and shallow, and instead divert these energies to productive channels.

Awareness is who we are and forgetting that leads to suffering. -Vicki Woodyard Being unconscious means you’re lost in thought, in the pictures and stories your mind is producing. You have entered the made-up content of your mind and are occupying it as if it were reality itself. Your ego is invested in this content as being real and important, and very likely as a result you are experiencing some kind of emotion (stirred up by the thinking). You have forgotten that all of it is the product of your mind (even if its content appears to be true or important). As a result, you are missing actual reality, what’s happening in the now — including that you are inventing the thoughts. - JAN FRASIER Your true nature is awareness and not what your mind is producing. - Burt Harding

Studying the Orphic Egg of the ancient Greek Orphic tradition recently, I was pleasantly surprised by its similarities to the Shivalingam in Hinduism. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orphic_Egg The Orphic Egg is considered the Father or creator of all the Greek gods. The Shivalingam in Hinduism is also considered the cosmic egg from which sprang forth everything in the material universe, including the gods, at the time of creation, and they will all return back to the Shivalingam at the time of cosmic dissolution. The Prajapita Brahmakumaris consider the Shivalingam as representing God Shiva as an incorporeal point of light, and the Father of all the Hindu gods and sentient beings, and the same as Jehovah, Ahura Mazda, Allah, Waheguru in the other monotheistic religions. Like the Orphic Egg, the Shivalingam is often depicted with a serpent wound about it. It is possible that there is a common link and origin to these traditions.

Self-awareness is yoga. - Nisargadatta Awareness is the great non-conceptual perfection. - Dzogchen Evil is an extreme manifestation of human unconsciousness. - Eckhart Tolle